Massenet's opera centres on its charming but contrary heroine, the vivacious young Manon who longs for luxury and excitement. We first encounter her en route to a convent, where her family are sending her to be educated. Along the way, she falls in love with the young student Des Grieux, and, impetuously, runs off with him. She soon leaves him, however, to become the mistress of a rich nobleman. Thus begins her descent into criminality and depravity, all too soon dragging the besotted Des Grieux with her, until she is imprisoned. Despite its tragic story, the opera is full of French charm and vitality – typified by the ambiguous Manon herself. Her plight is touching because of the subtle play of innocence and calculation in her character. The score contains many sparkling arias and ensembles, moving rapidly from moods of exuberance to tenderness, with perfect dramatic timing. Recorded live at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin, April/May 2007.
This is funny or rather crazy adaptation of classical opera Carmen inspired by famous czech theatre ...
The impulsive and charismatic Don Giovanni travels through Europe seducing women, accompanied by his...
Robert Lepage’s landmark staging of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, unveiled over the course of th...
Bizet’s rarely heard opera returned to the Met for the first time in a century on New Year’s Eve 201...
The Queen of the Night has begged Prince Tamino to free her daughter Pamina from the clutches of the...
Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become...
"Giovanna d'Arco; ossia, la pulzella d'Orléans" is an operatic dramma lirico with a prologue and thr...
John Adams’s mesmerizing score, in the powerful production of Penny Woolcock, tells the story of one...
One of opera's most vivid and compelling characters, a vengeful court jester, desperately tries to p...
Shostakovich’s satirical opera adapted from the classic short story by Nikolai Gogol. Baritone Eduar...
Valery Gergiev leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this production of Puccini's opera, record...
Tosca, suspecting his lover is seeing anothe woman, turn him, painter Mario Cavaradossi, to Baron Sc...
One of the greatest revolutions in the history of mankind happened around 3000 years ago: the transi...
Clay animation film by Guionne Leroy, based on the music of Henry Purcell's opera "King Arthur"
Prince Abesalom runs into an orphaned Eteri while hunting, falls for her and brings the woman to his...
Gaul has been conquered by the Romans. Oroveso, the Arch-Druid longs to lead a Gallic rebellion agai...
The life and career of Italian opera singer Farinelli, considered one of the greatest castrato singe...
A collaboration between award-winning American filmmaker Sofia Coppola and Italia haute couture king...